Detroit (WWJ (AP))  -- A former criminal lawyer for Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick admits he tried to keep the mayor's text messages under wraps.

Testifying Wednesday, William Mitchell III admitted to personally delivering an envelope from a safe-deposit box in Detroit to a prominent criminal lawyer in Virginia - along the way, bringing it to Mayor Kilpatrick himself.

Mitchell said he didn't open the envelope, but many believe it contained the damaging text messages.

Mitchell's testimony also included details about his contacts with SkyTel.

Saying he was worried that the records were a mix of government, personal and privileged messages, Mitchell testified he asked how they might be destroyed or scrambled to keep them private.

In a letter to SkyTel, he called the situation “a matter of extreme sensitivity” and “urgent concern.”

Excerpts of the messages were published by the Detroit Free Press and contradict testimony they gave in a whistle-blowers' trial.